CEBU CITY – The Department of Industry is willing to help Cebu’s furniture industry cope with stiff competition in the export market.


DTI Central Visayas Director Aster Caberte advised the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc. (CFIF) to draw a road map for the industry.

The road map should identify what kind of support the industry needs from the government and what firms in the sector can contribute, she said.

“Trade Secretary Favila is willing to support the industry. But he wants to see a clear road map,” she said.

CFIF president Michael Basubas said besides stiff competition, the industry does not get enough financial support from the government.

The industry is also opposing certain policies such as the Antismuggling Bill, Customs Brokers Act of 2004 and the licensing requirement of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on the importation of chemical substances with toluene, a component of paint that has further pushed the industry’s performance down.

“They could not support the export sector financially, yet they draft laws that are killing the industry,” Basubas said.

“Instead of becoming an enabler, it is the government that unwittingly imposes a lot of barriers, some of which are, in form of arbitrary policies and multiple requirements through licensing, permits and fees,” he noted.

Basubas said the policies “challenge the competitiveness” of the industry.

Caberte said the agency is willing to facilitate talks between CFIF and other government agencies concerned, such as the Bureau of Customs and the PDEA on the issues that affect the industry.

Several industry sectors are opposing the Antismuggling Bill’s provision that requires payment of import duties on raw materials before exporters can withdraw the items from bonded warehouses. PNA